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Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church (Calasiao Church)

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Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church (Calasiao Church)

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General Discussion
The Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church, located in Calasiao, Pangasinan, was built in 1588 during the Spanish Colonization in the Philippines. It was during this period that many of the country’s historical Baroque Churches had been built, due to the spread of Christianity under the midst of colonial rule. One of these churches is the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church or what is also referred to as the Calasiao Church and is considered a National Cultural Treasure. The architectural style of this church is the Baroque style, and notably, its unique design (similar to other Churches built in this period) reflected the integration of Spanish or Latin American architecture and the indigenous architecture of the Philippines (New World Ecyclopedia, 2015). To put the analysis of its form and function in two statements: (1) the form follows a baroque architectural style with painted ceilings, dome, windows, carved exterior, and rich decoration; (2) the function of Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church is holding the celebration of mass and other religious matters, and withstanding the Philippine geography and climate and other externalities throughout the centuries.

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Following the Baroque style, the features of this Church include painted ceilings, a dome, and a carved exterior. (Explora PH). Other significant features and elements of the architecture itself are the doors, facade, altar, ceiling, and dome of Belfry (bell tower), including the Sunico Bell and Heritage Bell.

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There are two side doors and a main door in the front facade of the church. The design of the doors is structured by a round arch, in which the the keystone (central voussoir) of the main big door's arch is attached to a sculpture. Moreover, the front and side facades of the building are embedded with horizontal and vertical columns that provide shape and stability to the building. This carved exterior is truly inspired by the baroque style, including the windows, both the ones embellished with colored glass and ones in the front facade.

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Entering the Church, the first thing that the eyes focus on is the Altar, elevated and located at the far end of the aisle. Embellished by detailed gold, the altar showcases various religious figures. More than that, there is also the presence of round arches on the space that housed the figures and the presence of the post and lintel, similar to that of in the front facade. The lights further emphasize the religious figures, which Christians look up to and ask for prayers, especially during the celebration of mass. The large and detailed Altar attracts the attention of people and it is fitting for its purpose, since it is in front of the altar where the priest perform the sacraments. In addition, the white ceiling is painted with lines and colors with texts and shapes. This further follows the Baroque style.

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Lastly, one of the significant element of a Baroque Church is, of course, the dome. The element of the dome and the can be seen in the center aisle of the Calasiao church, which is similar to that of a series of round arches that are roofed. The dome is more explicitly present in the Belfry (bell tower), which housed the famous Heritage Bell and Sunico Bell. The curved formation of the dome provides strength in carrying the weight of walls and the bell. The height, dome and windows also permit light to enter the belfry and allow sound of the ringing bell to be heard from afar.

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Integration of Indigenous Philippine Architecture                                      in the Baroque Church

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Integration of Indigenous Philippine Architecture                                      in the Baroque Church

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Notably, Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church has been one of the oldest and recognized Baroque Churches in the Philippines. In building the church, rocks and materials indigenous and local to the Filipinos were used (New World Ecyclopedia, 2015). Thus, integrating elements of Philippine Architecture in the Baroque Church.

Built in the Spanish colonization era, the church has withstand natural calamities such as storms and earthquakes. Although, renovations had been made, in order to preserve this piece of history. Because of the unique climate and geological position of the Philippines (Pacific Ring of Fire), the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church must be uniquely made to fit (WikiVisually). Truly, this church is a perfect representation of what if Filipino and is a reminder of the Filipino resilience (Sotelo, 2015). This is what makes the legacy of Calasiao church live on until the present — its unique architecture.

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New World Ecyclopedia (2019) Baroque Churches of the Philippines. (Online). Available at https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Baroque_Churches_of_the_Philippines#Features (Accessed: 24 September 2019).

New World Ecyclopedia (2019) Baroque Architecture. (Online). Available at https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Baroque_Architecture (Accessed: 24 September 2019).

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (2019) Baroque Churches of the Philippines. (Online). Available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/677/ (Accessed: 24 September 2019).

Sotelo, Y. (2015) 'Pangasinan hosts oldest churches', Inquirer.net, 1 April. (Online). Available at: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/682656/pangasinan-hosts-oldest-churches (Accessed: 24 September 2019).

WikiVisually (n.d.) Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church (Calasiao). (Online). Available at https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Saints_Peter_and_Paul_Parish_Church_%28Calasiao%29 (Accessed: September 23, 2019).

Explora PH (n.d.) Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. (Online). Available at https://explora.ph/attraction/509/%7B%7BxpConfig.rootPrefix%7D%7D%7B%7Bitem.url%7D%7D (Accessed: September 23, 2019).